Shaker conveyer



Feb. 9, 1943.`

1 F. CRAWFORD SHAKER coNvEYE'R 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 19, 1940 ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1943. L, F. CRAWFQRD Re. 22,263

SHAKER coNvEYR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 19, 1940 Feb. 9, 1943. L. F. CRAWFORD R12-'22,263

SHAKER CONVEYER l original Filed April. 19, 1940 3 shets-sneet s i ATTORNEY Reissued Feb. 9, 1943 22,263 y SHAKER UONVEYER Loyal F. Crawford, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company,

corporation of Illinois Original No. 2,265,519, dated December 9, 1941,

Serial No. 330,477, for reissue October 14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shaker conveyers and more particularly relates to an improved device for loading material onto a shaker conveyer trough line.

Heretofore, shaker ccnveyers having loading devices or shovels on the forward end of the trough line have been commonly used for loading mined coal from room and entries of mines. The use of these loading devices, however, has been limited due to the fact that the loading device has been reciprocably driven from the main trough line, which restricts the range of lateral swinging movement of the device to the extent that material cannot be picked up from the corners of wide rooms, or from breakthroughs o-r entries at right angles to the main trough line. It has been attempted to remedy these diiiiculties by placing curved troughs in the trough line, which will permit material to be conveyed around corners by the action of the shaker conveyer. These corners may be as great as 90 degrees, but these curved troughs besides reducing the eiiiciency of the conveying motion at the receiving end of the trough line also take up considerable space, so can only be used in wide working places having goed roof conditions, and the curved portion of the trough line must be torn down when it is desired to pick up material in advance of the main trough line.

The principal objects of my present invention are to remedy these diiliculties by providing a simpliiied and compact form of loading device for a shaker conveyor trough line, which will elliciently load material from extreme positions with respect to the main trough line as well as from in :front of the main trough line.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a loading device of the class described, which consists in an independent shaker conveyer loading unit mounted for slidable movement along the ground, together with a guiding connection between this conveyer and the main trough line, to hold this loading unit in the pro-per relation with respect to the main trough line and permit this loading unit to load material onto the main trough line when at various extreme angles of adjustment with respect thereto.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specication proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a View in side elevation of a loading device constructed in accordance with my invention connected with a shaker conveyer trough line, with certain parts shown in section;

Chicago, Ill., a

April 19, 1940. Application 22, 1942, Serial No. 463,007

(Cl. Hi8- 220) Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section, in order to more clearly illustrate certain details of my invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, drawn to substantially the same scale as Figure 1 and showing certain details of my invention not illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 1 and also showing certain parts of the main trough line in section;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the point of connection of the loading device to the main trough line;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the device operating in an entry at right angles to the conveyor trough line; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the device loading in a relatively wide working place.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, a conveyer trough line III is shown. Said conveyei` trough line may be of a usual form and construction, arranged so as to be extended along an entry or room as the mining operation progresses, and may be driven from a usual type of reciprocable drive mechanism in such a manner that the reciprocable motion of said trough line will cause material to move therealong from the inby to outby end thereof.

The trough line i!! has a hopper-like trough I I secured at its forward end, which is mounted on a base I2 for reciprocable movement with respect thereto. Said hopper-like trough has a widened forward portion, a closed forward end, and is mounted onthe base I2 on a usual type of ball frame, which includes an upper frame I3 connected to the underside of said trough section and having guides for balls Ita, l3nt extending therealong and a lower frame I4 having corresponding guides for said balls. The lower frame I4 is mounted on said base on the upper end of a boss i5, which forms a bearing boss for a control link IS for an extensible loading device generally indicated by reference character I'I. A plurality of jacks I8, I8, adapted to be interposed between said base and the mine roof, are provided to hold said base in position on the mine bottom.

With reference now in particular to the details of the extensible loading device I'I and several n reciprocating trough section the trough section 22.

novel features of my invention, said loading device includes a base plate I9 mounted for slidable movement along the ground and transversely pivoted to the control link I on a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending bifurcated ears 29, 29 by means of pivotal pins 2l, 2I. A 22 and an extensible trough section 23, adapted to be nested in or extended from said reciprocating trough section are mounted on said base for reciprocable movement with respect thereto. Said extensible trough section h-as a shovel 24 on its forward end, and as herein shown is extended or retracted with respect to said reciprocating trough section by means of an ordinary type of friction grip feeding device generally indicated by reference character 25.

The loading device I1 is moved about the mine and swung about the axis of the bearing boss I5, by means of a pair of winding drums 21, 21 having flexible cables 28, 28 mounted thereon and adapted to be attached to fixed abutments remote from the machine. The support for said winding drums on said base and the drive thereto will hereinafter be more clearly described as this specification proceeds.

The control link I6, as herein shown, includes a pair of parallel spaced members 29, 29 transversely pivoted to the ears 2U, 29 on the pivotal pins 2 I, 2I. Said members are slidably engaged within connecting and guide members 3l), 39, which are transversely pivoted at their rear ends to opposite ends of a yoke 3|. Said yoke is provided with a rearwardly extending stub shaft 32 which is pivotally mounted in a pivoted frame 33 for movement about an axis extending longitudinally of said control link. Said pivoted frame in turn is pivotedl on the bearing boss I5 for pivotal movement about a vertical axis.

The members 29, 29 may be extended or retracted with respect to the connecting and guide members 39, 30, by means of a windingy drum 34 having a flexible cable 35 adapted to be wound thereon. Said winding drum as herein shown is mounted coaxial with the winding drums 21, 21.

A plurality of spaced apertures 35, 35 are provided in the members 29, 29, which are adapted to register with suitable apertures provided in the connecting and guide members 39, 39. Said apertures are adapted to be engaged with pins 39, 39, for locking said members'in position with respect to said connecting `and guide members and holding the base I9 in xed horizontal spaced relation with respect to the base I2.

The supporting connection for the reciprocating troughv section 22 on the base I9 includes a pair of spaced apart anti-friction rollers 43, 43 engageable with the upper and lower flanges of a pair of spaced apart channels 44, 44, extending along opposite sides of said trough section. Said rollers are mounted on spaced apart brackets 45, 45, projecting upwardly from said base.

The trough sections 22 and 23 are `held in nested relation with respect to each other by means of two pairs of spaced apart rollers 41, 41 mounted on the rear of said extensible trough section, and two other pairs of spaced apart rollers 49, 49 mounted on the forward end of said reciprocating trough section.

Each pair of rollers 41, 41 is adapted to engage the upper and lower sides of bearing flanges 59, 5U extending along opposite upper sides of Said rollers are mounted on spaced apart brackets 5I, 5I projecting rearwardly from opposite bearing anges 52, 52,

which bearing flanges extend along opposite upper sides of the trough section 23. Said last mentioned anges are adapted to be selectively engaged by grip blocks 53, 53 of the feeding mechanism 25, for extending or retracting said extensible trough section with respect to said reciprocating trough section in the usual manner The spaced apart rollers 49, 49 are mounted in brackets 55, 55, which project forwardly of the forward end of the trough section 22 and extend upwardly therefrom (see Figure 4) Said rollers are adapted to engage the upper and lower sides of the bearing flanges 52, 52. The brackets 55, 55 are secured to the trough section 22 by means of a cross member` 58 secured to and extending beneath said trough section and formed to conform generally to the shape of the lower part of said trough section. Said brackets are `provided with depending sides 59, 59 adapted to slidably engage the inner sides of guide members 59, 5%. Said guide members are spaced forwardly of the base I9 and are mounted on the outer ends of arms 5I, 5I projecting forwardly from said base.

It should here be noted that the trough sections 22 and 23 are supported on the base I2 on the rollers 43, 43 and are supported on the ground at the forward end of the trough section 23 on the shovel 24, and that the rollers 49, 49 and depending portions 59, 59 of the brackets 55, 55 serve only as guiding means for said tro-ugh sections to hold them in alignment with respect to said base and in nested relation with respect to each other.

The means for reciprocably driving the trough sections 22 and 23 includes a reciprocable ccnveyer drive mechanism 82 mounted on the base I9 adjacent the forward end thereof. Said drive mechanism is no part of my present invention vand may be of any construction well known to those skilled in the art, so will not herein be shown or described in detail. As herein shown, said drive mechanism includes a crank 63 driven at a variable angular velocity by a motor 54 through a suitable reduction device and motion varying mechanism (not shown). The drive connection from said drive mechanism to the trough section 22 consists of a pitman 65 journaled at one of its ends on the cr-ank 63 and pivotally connected at its opposite end to a connecting member 56, depending from said trough section. f

The winding drums 21, 21 and 34 are mounted on a transverse shaft EB, journaled in bearing brackets 59, 59 projecting upwardly from the base I9. A motor 10 mounted on said base is provided for driving said shaft through a gear train generally indicated by reference character 1I. Each of said winding drums, as herein shown, is driven from said shaft by means of a separate planetary geared reduction device generally indicated by reference character 12. Said planetary geared reduction device may be controlled by friction bands 13, 13 in a usual manner and may be of any usual construction well known to those skilled in the art, so will not hereinbe shown or described in detail.

The flexible cables 28, 28 on the winding drums 21, 21 may extend forwardly from said drums and around sheaves 19, 19, mounted on the forward ends of the arms 6I, 5I, for attachment to fixed abutments remote from said arms, for swinging the base I9 about the axis of the bearing boss I5, in an obvious manner.

In Figure 7, the shaker conveyer pan line Ill is lshown as extending along a main entry 80 with the loading device positioned to load from a cross entry 8|. As the coal is undercut and broken down, the shovel 24 may be extended into the loose material by the feeder head 25 in the usual manner, as the reciprocating and extensible trough sections are reciprocably driven from the drive mechanism 62. Movement of said shovel from side to side, about the axis of the bearing boss I 5, is effected by means of the cables 28, `28 and winding drums 2l, 21 in the hereinbefore described manner. When it is desired to extend the entire loading device, the cable 35 on the winding drum 34 may be attached to a xed abutment remote from the machine and the pins 39, 39 may be removed from the apertures 36, 36. Said loading device may then be extended by applying power tosaid winding drum and when extended to the desired extent may again be locked in fixed spaced relation with respect to the base I2 by means of the pins 39, 39, If it is desired to move the loading device towards the base I2 from an extended position, the cable 35 may be attached to a lug 82 on said base, and power may be applied to the winding drum 34 upon removal of the pins, 39, 39 from their respective apertures. If desired, the length of the trough section 22 may be increased by the addition of additional trough sections, and while the degree of extension of the connecting link I6 is herein shown as being relatively small, said link may readily be constructed to permit a greater amount of extension if necessary.

In Figure 8, the loading device is shown in operation in a relatively wide room. When loading from an extreme position such as is shown in this figure, one corner jack I 8 must be removed to permit the gathering device to pass thereby. The loading and positioning and extending operations are otherwise the same as described with reference to Figure 7.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a simplified and compact form of loading device of a novel construction has been provided for loading material onto a shaker conveyer trough line which consists in a relatively short shaker conveyer trough line mounted on a base and driven from a drive mechanism independently of the drive ,mechanism for the main trough line and pivotally connected to the main trough line for swinging movement with respect thereto about a vertical axis, by means of a connecting link so arranged as to permit the base I9 to follow an uneven mine bottom.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be held from movement with respect to the ground during operation of the conveyer, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, an independently operable gathering unit adapted to pick up material from the ground and discharge it into said hopper, and a guiding connection between said base and gathering unit,

for guiding said gathering unit for 'movement about said base to discharge material into said hopper in all positions of said gathering unit with respect to said base including a guiding and control link having connection with said gathering unit and mounted on said base beneath said hopper for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said guiding and control link including a yoke pivotally mounted for movement about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and connecting members transversely pivoted to said yoke at one of their ends and to said gathering unit at their opposite ends, to permit said gathering unit to follow an uneven mine floor while being Amoved about said base.

2. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be held from movement with respect to the ground during operation'of the conveyer, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, an independently operable gathering unit including a reciprocably driven shovel adapted to pick up material from the ground and discharge it into said hopper, and a guiding connection between said base and gathering unit for holding said gathering unit in fixed spaced relation with respect to said base and for guiding said gathering unit for movement about said base including an extensible guiding and control link mounted on said base beneath said hopper for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and having transverse pivotal connection with said gathering unit.

3. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be held from movement with respect to the ground during operation of the conveyer, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, an independently operable mobile gathering unit including a reciprocably driven shovel adapted to pick up material from the ground and discharge it into said hopper, and a guiding connection between said base and gathering unit for holding said gathering unit in fixed spaced relation with respect to said base and for guiding said gathering unit for movement about said base including a guiding and control link mounted on said base beneath said hopper for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said guiding and control link including a yoke pivotally mounted for movement about an axis extending longitudinally thereof, and connecting members transversely pivoted to said yoke and to said gathering unit, to permit said gathering unit to follow an uneven mine floor while being moved about said base, and said connecting members being extensible to permit adjustable movement of said gathering unit towards o-r from said base.

4. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be held from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, an independently operable mobile gathering unit adapted to pick up material from the ground and discharge it into said hopper, and a -guiding connection between said base and gathering unit for holding said gathering unit in fixed spaced relation with respect to said base and for guiding said gathering unit for movement about said base including a guiding and control link f mounted on said base beneath said hopper for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said guiding and control link having an intermediate yoke pivotally mounted for movement about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and a pair ci spaced apart extensible members connecting said yoke with said gathering unit, to permit said gathering unit to follow an uneven mine floor while being moved about said base and to be adjustably moved towards and from said base, said extensible members being transversely pivoted to said yoke at one of'their ends and transversely pivoted to said gathering unit at their opposite ends.

5. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be fixed `from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, another base mounted for movement along the ground on its bottom, reciprocating and extensible trough sections mounted on said movable base, a shovel on the forward end of said extensible trough section, drive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, power means mounted on said movable base for moving said base and reciprocable and extensible trough sections with respect to said fixed base, and a link pivotally connected between said bases and holding said second mentioned base for movement with respect to said first mentioned base about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper, to maintain the discharge end of said reciprocating trough section in cornmunication with said hopper.

6. In a loading machine for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be fixed from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, another base mounted for movement along the ground on its bottom, reciprocating and extensible trough sections mounted on said movable base, said extensible trough section having a shovel on its forward end adapted to pick up material from the ground, drive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, and an extensible link pivotally connected with said fixed base for movement about a vertical axis and transversely pivotally connected with said movable base, permitting sliding and extensible and retractible movement of said second base along the ground with respect to said first base and maintaining the discharge end of said reciprocating trough section in communication with said hopper.

'7. In a shaker conveyer, a base, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, means for picking up loose material and discharging it into said hopper including a reciprocating trough section, an extensible trough section nested therein and means for extending or retracting said extensible trough section with respect to said reciprocating trough section, a movable base forming a support for said trough sections, power means for moving said movable base, and a horizontally swingable link spacing said bases apart and forming a pivotal guiding connection between said bases, to permit said movable base to be slidably moved along the ground about said rst base and to hold said bases in fixed spaced relation with respect to each other, said link having pivotal connection with said first mentioned base, for movement about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper and having transverse pivotal connection with said movable base, and said link including an intermediate member pivotally movable about an axis extending longitudinally thereof, to permit said movable base tofollow an uneven botton, While being moved about said vertical axis.

8. In a shaker conveyer, a base, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, means for picking up loose material and discharging it into said hopper including a reciprocating trough section, an extensible trough section nested therein and means for extending or retracting said extensible trough section with respectto said reciprocating trough section, a movable base forming a support axis, and to said for said trough sections, power means for moving said movable base, and a horizontally swingable link spacing said bases apart and forming a pivotalguiding connection between said bases, to permit said movable base to be slidably moved along the ground about said first base and to hold said bases in fixed spaced relation with respect to each other, said link having pivotal connection with said first mentioned base for movement about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper, and. having transverse pivotal connection with said movable base, and said link including an intermediate member pivotally movable about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and a pair of spaced apart members transversely pivoted to said intermediate member at one of their ends and to said moveable base at their opposite ends.

9. In a shaker conveyer, a base, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, means for picking uploose material and discharging it into said hopper including a reciprocating trough section, an extensible trough section nested therein and means for extending or retracting said extensible trough section with respect to said reciprocating trough section, a movable base forming a support for said trough sections, power means for moving said movable base, and a horizontally swingable link spacing said bases apart and forming a pivotal guiding connection between said bases to permit said movable base to be slidably moved along the ground about said first base and to hold said bases in fixed spaced relation with respect to each other, said link having pivotal connection with said first mentioned base, for movement about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper and having transverse pivotal connection with said movable base, and said link including an intermediate member pivotally movable about an axis extending rlongitudinally thereof and a pair of spaced apart extensible members transversely pivoted to said intermediate member, said spaced apart members having transverse pivotal connection With said movable base at their ends opposite said intermediate member and forming a means for adjustably holding said movable base in nxed relation With respect to said stationary base to permit said movable base to follow an uneven mine bottom and be adjustably moved towards and from said stationary base.

10. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be fixed from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, another base mounted for movement along the ground on its bottom,4 reciprocating and extensible trough sections mounted on said movable base, said extensible' trough section having a shovel on its forward' end adapted to pick up material from the ground, drive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, a pivotal connection between said bases for holding said movable base for movement with respect to said first mentioned base about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper to hold said movable base in iixed spaced relation with respect to said hopper and to maintain the discharge end of said reciprocating trough section in communication with said hopper including a link pivoted to said fixed base at one oi its ends, for movement about a vertical movable base at its opposite end, for movement about a transverse axis, and

iiexible power means on said movable base, for

moving said base along the ground about said vertical pivotal axis of connection of said link to said first mentioned base.

11. In a loading machine for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be fixed from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, a movable base spaced from said first base and adapted to be moved along the ground on its bottom, reciprocating and extensible trough sections mounted on said movable base, said extensible trough section having a shovel on its forward end adapted to pick up material from the ground, drive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, an extensible link having vertical pivotal connection with said xed base for movement about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper and having transverse pivotal connection with said movable base, permitting sliding movement of said movable base about said iirst base and permitting adjustable extensible and retractible movement of said movable base with respect to said fixed base, flexible power means on said movable base for moving said base about said axis of connection of said link to said first base, and other flexible power means for adjustably moving said movable base towards and from said :first mentioned base.

12. In a loading machine for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be fixed from movement with respect to the ground, a receiving hopper mounted on said base', a second base spaced from said first base and adapted to be moved along the ground on its bottom, reciprocating and extensible trough sections mounted on said second base, said extensible trough section having a shovel on its forward end adapted to pick up material from the ground, drive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, an extensible link having vertical pivotal connection with said fixed base for movement about a vertical axis intersecting said hopper and having transverse pivotal connection with said second base, permitting sliding movement of said second base about said first base and extensible and retractible movement of said second base with respect to said rst base, flexible power means on said second base for moving said base about said axis of connection of said link to said first base, and other flexible power means for adjustably moving said second base towards and from said rst mentioned base, said flexible power means including a motor on said second base, and a plurality of winding drums adapted to be independently driven from said motor and having Ilexible cables thereon adapted to be connected to xed abutments remote from said base, for moving said base upon the application of power to said winding drums.

13. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be stationary on the ground during operation of the conveyer, a receiving hopper mounted on said base, an independently operable mobile gathering unit having a discharge end arranged in cascade relation with respect to said hopper and adapted to pick up material from the ground and discharge it into said hopper, and a guiding and control connection between said base and gathering unit including an extensible control link connected with said gathering unit and mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, for guiding said gathering unit for movement about said base and permitting extension or retraction of said gathering unit with respect to said base.

14. In a loading device for a shaker conveyer, a base adapted to be xed from movement with respect to the ground, mounted on said base, another base spaced from said iirst mentioned base and adapted to be moved along the ground on its bottom, a reciprocating trough section and an extensible trough section mounted on said movable base, said extensible trough section having a shovel on its forward end adapted to pick up material from the grounddrive mechanism on said movable base for reciprocably driving said reciprocating and extensible trough sections, and an extensible control link connected between said bases and controlling movement of said second mentioned base about said rst mentioned base and permitting extensible or retractible movement of said second mentioned base with respect to said rst mentioned base and holding said bases in fixed spaced relation with respect to each other when in their extended or retracted positions, to cause the discharge of material from said reciprocating trough section into said hopper in all positions of said bases with respect to each other.

LOYAL F. CRAWFORD.

a receiving hopper 

